by Lakes, Lynde
“I was worried about you,” Cortz said. “Any more breakins?”
She hesitated. “No.”
Her pause made him nervous. “Has anyone followed you? What about the van?”
“It must’ve belonged to a visitor in the apartments. It hasn’t been around for the last couple of days.”
Cortz didn’t mention the blue car, the man who questioned Ellen, or the man who rifled through the designs. He hadn’t seen strangers in days. Besides, Darli couldn’t help him, and he didn’t want to upset her. “How are the wedding arrangements going?”
“Terrific. The church is reserved. And everything is taken care of. I can hardly wait for you to see my gown.”
He loved her excitement when she talked about the wedding. “Don’t think I haven’t done my part. Ellen helped me order my tuxedo, and Mona went with me to choose the best setting for a band of my most flawless diamonds.” He touched the picture of Darli on his desk. His finger traced her lips. A surge of desire welled up in him. “I can’t wait until we’re together again.”
After Cortz hung up the phone, he felt relieved. With no one hanging around watching Darli, perhaps the danger was over. Still, he couldn’t let his guard down and he had to be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice. If he had to depart this place he was growing to love, what chance would he have of persuading her to forsake Earth with him?
He’d known finding a woman to take back to Uraticus wouldn’t be easy. He’d had two uncompromising requirements—he had to love the woman, and she had to love him. Kidnapping was out.
Things had soared completely off course. He hadn’t intended to remain in this alien environment long, but now he had an identity here. And in spite of the undercurrent of danger, he enjoyed being Greg.
He wanted to tell Darli everything before they got married. But when he’d told her the truth before, she hadn’t believed him. He suspected if he told her again, she would only think he was Greg having a relapse. He might be sent back to the institution. He hated to manipulate her into this marriage. He slammed his fist into his palm. Damn the lies! He lied to survive—and lied to keep Darli. That was the worst lie of all.
No matter the inner regret, he couldn’t let remorse drain his energy or divert him from his goals. There was much to do. Cortz reached for the journal where he logged in everything he’d learned and what still needed to be done. He flipped through the pages to refresh his memory and then began to write feverishly.
As the light in his office began to fade, he stretched and went to the window. The parking lot was empty. He sighed in relief. Leaving Earth now would leave important things undone and he would die if he had to leave Darli.
Chapter Fifty-Four
A week later at Pearl Harbor Naval Headquarters:
“You have the report on the Grenlane woman and her boyfriend?” Commander Olsen asked, squinting from the cigar smoke curling back into his eyes.
“Yes,” Ryker said. “It was a wild goose chase. She’s squeaky clean. The boyfriend is a wealthy retread from a mental institution and an inventor who likes to carry diamonds around. Norton over at Intelligence had men on both of them, but he says neither could have anything to do with the spacecraft. He’s discontinuing surveillance.”
Olsen raked his hand though his gray hair. “Then the diamonds weren’t from illegal dealings?”
“No, the boyfriend was investigated thoroughly. He’s just a filthy rich eccentric.”
“And the stun gun and other things?”
“He’s an inventor. Those were his inventions. It’s all here in the report. Everything checked out.”
“Where do we go from here?”
“We’re back to square two. We have the spacecraft under constant surveillance. It’s the best we can do until we get another lead. Fox was evidently wrong about the woman knowing something. She was there when the craft came down, but we had five thousand other calls besides hers.”
“Damn, I had hoped we were onto something.” Olsen leaned against his desk and took a deep draw on his cigar.
“We all did, sir,” Ryker said. “And bullheaded Fox still believes that the Grenlane woman knows something, even if she isn’t aware of it. He refuses to admit he was wrong. He wants permission to keep in touch with her.”
“Won’t hurt to humor him,” Olsen said.
****
Darli’s pearl and lace wedding gown swirled about her in layers of elegance. She inhaled the intoxicating scent of plumeria drifting through the church while tremors of excitement rippled through her. She tightened her grip on her bouquet of white rosebuds.
Through her veil, she stole a sidelong glance at Cortz. His strong profile and proud posture in the ivory tuxedo filled her with an almost irresistible urge to touch the dark hair that curled at the nape of his neck. He turned and faced her, and she swayed a little.
From a far balcony corner, a male and a female voice joined in a soft duet of the “Hawaiian Wedding Song” as Darli said her vows, past the constriction in her throat. She blinked back tears of joy. To compose herself, she looked past the minister, beyond the wall of glass, to the turquoise waves that rolled and broke into dancing white froth under the late afternoon sun.
Then, the minister said, “I pronounce you husband and wife.”
With gentle hands, Cortz lifted her veil and brought his lips down on hers. They were warm, moist and slightly vibrating. Her knees went weak. The organist played the wedding song “Forever.” Her heart swelled with happiness. She was now Mrs. Gregory Harris, the wife of a man she loved and trusted above all others.
****
Back in their room after the celebration, Darli’s heart beat wildly. Dusky shadows grew, diminished then changed form, reflecting every motion as she and Cortz slowly undressed each other. Between each castoff piece they paused and kissed again. The electricity being transferred between them was powerful enough to light the city of Honolulu for a week. She was vaguely aware of a Hawaiian love song softly playing on the radio, the scent of roses from her wedding bouquet, and the silken sheets, as Cortz pressed her down with extraordinary gentleness. He turned her over onto her stomach. She was pliant, willing. Cortz straddled her. The heat from his muscled thighs set her on fire. With strong sure hands, he smoothed lotion over her back and waist, slowly moving down over her hips.
“Is this releasing the wedding day tensions?” he asked, his voice husky.
“And building others,” she whispered, as shivers danced down her spine.
She rolled onto her back and traced the fine crinkled lines at the corners of his eyes—eyes that were filled with desire and glinted with ruby highlights. The flashing luminosity reminded her of bursting fireworks or exploding hot coals. Just looking at him filled her with awe. Did all men’s eyes reveal their fiery emotions during lovemaking so vividly? If she didn’t love him, trust him, she would be terrified. Darli drew his face down, trembling as she captured his warm and slightly vibrating lips with her own. Receptive, he pressed his body into hers, merging their heartbeats.
He brushed her eyelids with his lips, trailing kisses over her face and down to her breasts. While fiercely holding onto him, she kissed, touched, and in return received rapturous joy. Then wanting to reciprocate, she slid her fingers down his sides. Immediately, he went taut in anticipation of where her trailing fingers might lead. She didn’t disappoint him, or herself. She massaged his throbbing shaft, but when he searched for and found the most delicate parts of her body, the urge to seek pleasure took precedence. She arched toward him. He slid his fingers into her moist core, seeming to sense pleasure spots as though born only to please her. Each gentle, vibrating stroke probed deeper, driving her further into madness. She moaned and drew him closer.
“Are you sure?” he asked. In response, she dug her fingers deeper into his flesh. He entered her using the rhythm he had set with his magic fingers, and together they increased the pace until their writhing, sweaty bodies hit the zenith and then they undulated in abandon.
“I love you, Darli,” he said huskily against her mouth.
Afterward, she lay quietly in his arms, unable to stand the thought of moving even an inch away from him. Cortz lifted the strands of damp hair that clung to her breasts and kissed the skin beneath. She looked up at him and smiled. He covered her face with feathery kisses. Then…he just held her. She lay still. Outside, a bird called forlornly for its mate.
****
Naval Commander Olsen shouted at newly promoted Lieutenant Junior Grade Mario Salvatori, “You have no choice! You’re already in this.”
Mario raked his fingers through his curly black hair. “Sir, I didn’t want this assignment from the beginning. Greg and Darli are my friends. It’s driving me crazy to spy on them. My God, my girlfriend and I were at their wedding! I only went along with all this because I knew they were innocent and I wanted to prove it.”
“Let me remind you, Salvatori, you don’t accept or reject assignments. You follow orders!” Olsen flicked an ash from his cigar into the large glass ashtray.
“Sir,” Mario said. “No one has told me what they’re supposed to be guilty of. At least tell me that.”
A crimson flush crept up Olsen’s neck.
“Sir,” Ryker said quickly, “under the circumstances, maybe we should tell Mario what we’re up against.”
Olsen rubbed his jaw a moment then nodded.
Ryker stood erect, smoothed the jacket of his crisp white uniform, then briefly explained the sighting and the Navy’s search, and told him about the spacecraft so well-hidden in the sea wall that it had remained undiscovered for months. “Our experts are certain it’s an alien craft. Fox has suspected Mrs. Harris was hiding something from the beginning. For a while we thought Fox’s suspicions were unfounded, but when our underwater surveillance camera caught her and Harris deep-water swimming near the concealed spacecraft it raised old questions.”
Mario laughed. “Darli and Greg, aliens from another planet? The thought is too incredible to consider!”
“We didn’t ask for your opinion.” Olsen spiraled smoke toward the ceiling. “Did the Harrises ever tell you, since you’re such close friends, that he was in a mental institution…and claimed to be an alien?”
Mario couldn’t hide his shock.
It fueled the contempt in Olsen’s voice. “Your orders are to stay close to the Harrises any way you can. Go through their things. Question them. Check out everything they tell you and report anything suspicious.”
Mario allowed his shoulders to slump in defeat for only a moment, then he straightened and saluted. “Yes, sir.”
Olsen turned away and faced the window. Ryker put his hand on Mario’s shoulder again and said firmly, “We’re counting on you, Salvatori…Your country is counting on you.”
****
Cortz grinned. He’d really done it! But setting up the business of his Hawaiian firm wouldn’t have been possible without the sale of his diamonds to finance everything, or without help from Blake, Ellen and Darli. Locating and securing a building had been a complex process but now the transaction was completed. He glanced out the window. From his thirty-second floor office, he could see miles of The Campbell Industrial Park that sprawled along the winding Kapolei shore.
Darli had been incredible. Even after putting in a full day teaching at the university, she’d spent a few hours each evening at his side. Her quick grasp of things made her an invaluable helpmate. Through their joint efforts, they had accomplished the difficult task in six months.
While waiting for governmental funding for his big projects, he’d begun production of the enerplane. The sales department was already selling all the plant could manufacture.
He glanced at the contract severing his ties with the California branch of Harris Inventions. He scanned the pages. It was exactly the way he wanted it: the two firms financially independent, with Mona the sole owner of the California business, and him and Darli the owners of the Hawaiian firm. Previous blueprints and inventions that Cortz upgraded beyond anything possible without his advanced knowledge were shared. Anything new he designed and brought to production would be his and Darli’s alone.
With the division of financial interests, he was free to replicate and improve whatever advanced inventions from Uraticus that the Earth’s technology was ready to handle.
He picked up the pen, and a stab of guilt tightened his gut as he scribbled the name Gregory Harris. He shook off the feeling. He had to be Greg to be safe, and to remain on Earth with Darli.
Chapter Fifty-Five
Darli, Keiko, and the Realtor, Char, removed their shoes before entering the new two-story mansion. Darli touched the leaded-glass as she passed through the double-entry doors. She had always dreamed of living in a place with elegant doors.
The aroma of wood and fresh paint was strong. Char moved ahead, quickly opening doors and windows throughout the downstairs area to allow a breeze to circulate the air. “Go right ahead,” she said, “take as much time as you need.” She plunked herself down on the bottom step of the stairway. “I’ll just sit here and make a few notes in my multiple-listing book while you roam the spacious rooms and enjoy the fantastic view.”
Darli laughed at the less than subtle sales pitch then stepped from the cool, hard quarry tile and wriggled her bare toes in the warm, softness of the plush carpeting. An overwhelming excitement sent a shiver through her.
Her gaze swept across the enormous living room and through the glass wall to the rolling sea beyond. The pristine sparkling waters glistened in the late afternoon sun.
Keiko joined her. “Wow. Is this ever classy? I never dreamed I’d have a rich friend.” Keiko struck an exaggerated snobbish pose, raising her pug nose high in the air with her finger.
Darli laughed. “Cut the antics. You know that’ll never be me. But Greg said the business has grown so fast we can move out of the cramped apartment into a real home…the sky’s the limit.”
Keiko followed Darli through the open sliding glass door out onto the wide, freshly-varnished wood deck. Darli’s breath caught. To the right was an uninterrupted view of Diamond Head, to the left Koko Head.
“I can see you in this place,” Keiko said.
“If you marry Mario, you can get a home of your own, too.”
“It won’t be long now.” Keiko smiled and stood a little straighter. “His sea duty is a thing of the past, and with his new job comes a sizable promotion.”
“That’s super.” An icy prickle at the back of Darli’s neck warned her it might not be as good as it sounded. She couldn’t put her finger on just what it was about his new position that worried her.
Roaming through the rest of the downstairs, she mulled over what might be behind her worry. Maybe it was a fear Mario would be transferred and take Keiko away. It certainly wasn’t that she believed he’d dump Keiko because of his newfound status. When it came to her, he was love struck to the nth degree.
Darli watched Keiko race up the spiraled stairs like a hyper-active child. “Tell me the truth,” she shouted. “Don’t you find that invention-stuff dull compared to astronomy?”
Darli caught up with Keiko. “Nothing could replace my love for astronomy, yet Greg’s excitement about the new inventions he’s bringing on line has lit new fires in me. I’m totally immersed in his work and building the Honolulu business.”
Keiko sent her a wicked grin. “I think the fires he’s lit in you have nothing to with the biz.”
Darli laughed. “Well, yeah. There’s the romantic stuff, too. But the business is exciting.”
“Must be something I’m missing. Even Mario is fascinated by the things you and Greg are doing. He asks endless questions.”
Darli frowned. “What kind of questions?”
“You know Mario…he’s curious about everything.” She leaned over the staircase railing. “Look how beautiful the downstairs is from up here.”
Darli felt the familiar foreboding rise within her like warning smoke above an awakening volcano. Why did
Mario’s curiosity bother her? They were best friends. There was nothing wrong with friendly interest. But was that all it was? With effort, she shook off the uneasiness.
Her breath caught as she stepped into the master bedroom. It was gigantic, with a wall of glass facing the ocean, much like the one in the living room.
She imagined herself walking onto the terrace with a filmy, midnight-blue nightgown fluttering around her in the breeze. And Cortz following, wearing only pajama bottoms. Or maybe nothing… He’d take her in his arms to shield her from the nighttime chill. Together they’d breathe in the fresh salt air scented with gardenias. Then they’d exchange kisses until fiery passion sent them lurching and stumbling back inside. And once in the quiet, dark room, with moonbeams as the only light, they would make love to the gentle roar of breaking waves.
Char’s voice cut into Darli’s thoughts. “If you plan to have children this room will interest you,” she called.
Darli laughed at the irony then followed the sound of the Realtor’s voice. Char was right, the room immediately touched her heart and brought forth images of a baby, the one she hoped to have with Cortz…Greg…
She smiled—she actually smelled baby powder. Had Char sprayed the sent into the air? It didn’t matter. Darli folded her arms over her breasts and rocked a sweet nothingness. She had made up her mind. She wanted this house. And Cortz’s baby.
****
Mario’s head ached. Since he’d gotten the assignment, it ached all the time. Even though he knew otherwise, he had to proceed as though Darli and Cortz were guilty. It had been six weeks since Keiko and Darli had first looked at the beach house. And tomorrow the Harrises were moving in. This was his chance to go through their things. He had to get Keiko out of the way. Would she leave him if she knew what he was up to? He tightened his jaw. He couldn’t worry about her now. He had his duty to his country. That had to come before personal relationships, even the one with the woman he loved. He drained the last of the juice from his glass and slammed it down on the sink counter. It shattered, raining glistening splinters on the Formica and floor. Damn! Mario’s stomach knotted. He took a deep breath to calm down. His job was to follow orders. That was what he’d sworn under oath to do. He had no choice.